


Armistice

by Writingwife83



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: 2500 follower fic giveaway, Beach House, Canon Compliant, F/M, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Pre-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Swimming, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:26:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28563501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writingwife83/pseuds/Writingwife83
Summary: Rey is eager to begin training after she and the Resistance escape Crait, but Leia feels she needs to take time away and clear her head first. She reluctantly decides to visit a place she’s dreamed of since she was a child. What she doesn’t expects is to run into Kylo Ren along the way...who is going to the very same place.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 36
Kudos: 85
Collections: Wifey’s Reylo Prompts





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fandom4fandom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandom4fandom/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reyreysistance on tumblr won my 2500 follower fic giveaway and prompted me for the pairing finding out they both have the same bucket list vacation spot so they decide to go together. I tweaked it a bit to make it fit within canon as requested, so hopefully you like where I’m going with it! :)

[Fic Moodboard on tumblr](https://writingwife-83.tumblr.com/post/639511364419911680/armistice-ch-1)

Several alarms suddenly blared to life as the ship fell out of hyperspace.

“This can’t be happening,” Rey muttered to herself, flipping a couple of switches on the controls and shaking her head. Everything was fine when she did her checks before take off!

And yet, there she was, stalled near a small moon adjacent from her destination. She couldn’t fly, couldn’t land, and she had almost no supplies or tools on board to work with. She was going to have to contact the Resistance again and request a rescue, which she hated to do, seeing as they were too short handed to ask them to give her a ride.

This whole trip had been a mistake.

She had already thought so when Leia first suggested it, and now she was further convinced she shouldn’t have listened.

After the Resistance fled Crait, Rey had been eager to continue her training, telling Leia that she was ready to learn more and master the ways of the Force. She was driven and excited and more motivated than ever to stay on the right path. But to her surprise, Leia hadn’t seen things the way she did.

_“You’ve been through a lot,” she said kindly. “Take some time, try to clear your head. You’re not in the right place to train right now. You may not think so, but your desire to train stems from running away, and that’s not going to help you learn. Make peace with the conflict you’re feeling, then come back when you’re more focused.”_

Rey tried to argue and assure Leia that she wasn’t conflicted, and she felt more than ready, but her new mentor insisted she take this time away.

_“Find a place, a peaceful place that’s not involved in the war, where you can think clearly. Isn’t there somewhere you’ve always wanted to go?”_

There was, she had to admit. She’d heard of a place from travelers passing through Jakku once, and their descriptions had sounded like some kind of dream land. It was an ocean planet called Glee Anselm. She told herself that once she found her parents, they’d fly to this paradise-like place and enjoy it together. Clearly that wasn’t going to happen, so Rey decided that if she was being forced to take time away, now may be her only opportunity to see Glee Anselm with her own eyes. 

Except, now it may not happen at all. 

Her finger was literally hovering over the button to send a distress call back to the Resistance, when a proximity alert sounded. She stopped, swiveling to check the radar and confirming that another small vessel was indeed approaching. Lifting her gaze from the cockpit to the sky ahead, she saw the ship coming into view, and as it became clearer and clearer she felt dread sink into her stomach. 

Kylo Ren’s Tie silencer.

Rey fumbled with the controls, finally slamming her palm down in the button to switch on the shields...which failed. She was already starting to sweat when she remembered her small transport had no weapons system before the beeping started to alert her to incoming communication. Not wanting to answer, she began frantically trying again to restart her ship, including opening up one of the panels below the cockpit. But the beeping only continued, and her efforts were proving completely useless.

Letting out a growl of frustration, she got up on her chair again and finally hit the switch to open communication. 

“Go away!”

He paused. “So you _want_ me to leave you stranded?”

She nearly bit back with a comment about how she didn’t need his help and would be calling for assistance, but then she quickly realized that wasn’t what she wanted to say to him. She wasn’t about to let Kylo know the Resistance was anywhere within reach, or give him reason to wait around to follow them. 

“I’ve got it under control,” she lied. 

“You’re dead in the water.”

Rey grit her teeth at the calm confidence in his voice.

“Don’t you have somewhere else to be? First Order business or something?”

“The First Order doesn’t control me,” he shot back.

“Then just get back to whatever it was you were doing and leave me alone!”

“Would you stop being a child? We’re parking your stupid shuttle on this moon and you’re coming with me to Glee Anselm while I decide what to do with you.”

Rey’s jaw dropped. “Wait, what? Why were you going to Glee Anselm?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“Did someone tell you to go there? Who told you?!”

“What are you talking about?! I’m going there because I want to. Is that a problem?”

“Yes it’s a problem! That’s where I was going!”

She pressed her lips together, wondering if she really should have admitted that aloud. She shouldn’t be sharing any information with him at all.

“Convenient,” Kylo finally said. “I’m going to connect a line to your ship and tow it to this moon. Don’t bother arguing.”

Rey could practically feel the steam coming out of her ears.

“And what if I kill you when we land?”

“I suggest we act like grownups and at least wait to kill each other until we land on Glee Anselm.”

Rey rolled her eyes. “Fine. Agreed.”

Ten minutes later Rey’s ship was safely on solid ground. It took every ounce of inner strength to take her pack and open the door, knowing that she was about to board Kylo’s ship. If she’d known this was how her day was about to go, she would have stayed with Leia and the Resistance, no matter what Leia tried to tell her.

Stepping out of her ship though, and suddenly coming face to face with him again, very different feelings welled inside of her. Suddenly she wasn’t facing down Kylo Ren. No, she was looking into the eyes of _Ben Solo_ , the same man who had pleaded with her to take his hand only yesterday. 

“And where am I supposed to sit?” Rey questioned, trying to shake off those lingering feelings while approaching Kylo’s Silencer. 

“Behind the seat,” he replied flatly, taking her bag and tossing it inside. “Pretty sure you’re not interested in the alternative.” 

Rey kept a suspicious eye on him, climbing into the tiny ship with some difficulty, not that she truly felt unsafe. If she were honest with herself, she couldn’t sense an ounce of aggression inside him. His own bitterness and hurt perhaps, but not aggression. She knew he didn’t want to hurt her. 

It was just a matter of getting somewhere where she could find supplies for her ship and then sneak away. 

“Where were you going?” he asked, beginning takeoff from the moon’s surface. 

“I already told you- Glee Anselm.”

“I know, and that’s a big planet. Where on the planet?”

Rey fell silent. She hadn’t really thought about it that specifically. She planned to arrive on the planet and find civilization and accommodations then. 

“I’m guessing you don’t want to tell me your business there.”

“No business,” she admitted, glad there was nothing to hide. “Just a visit...for me.”

He said nothing in response to that, but she could _feel_ something; like there was something hanging in the air that he wanted to say.

A few moments later, he cleared his throat. “Well I hope you know where you’re going. Do you have coordinates for the island?”

“Which island?”

Kylo glanced back over his shoulder, frowning in confusion. “Whatever island it is you’re staying on.”

“How many are there?”

He started laughing as he neared the planet’s atmosphere and Rey felt her anger boiling again.

“What exactly is so funny?!”

“Were you planning to fly down to Glee Anselm and _scavenge_ an island for yourself? It doesn’t work like that. You have to _reserve_ a place to stay, which they won’t have available now.”

Rey felt her face heating up. She’d never arranged a trip for herself just for the sake of pleasure. She had no idea what was involved, and to be honest she hadn’t even stopped to think about it. This would have been an embarrassing enough realization by herself, but now it had become ten times worse.

“Then if I can’t stay here, just let me find some tools and take me back to my ship, now,” she demanded.

“You know I can’t just let you go,” he stated matter-of-factly. “And besides, I imagine you wouldn’t want me following you to wherever you’re going back to.”

Rey chewed her lip nervously. No, of course she didn’t want that. So now what? How was she supposed to get him to release her while also being sure he wouldn’t follow? That is, without killing him. She wasn’t convinced she’d be able to do that if she were honest with herself. She’d have to stick around at least long enough to come up with a plan.

“So that’s it then? Just like that,” Rey sneered. “I’m your prisoner?”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

Kylo didn’t turn around, but he didn’t have to. Rey could easily _hear_ the slight smile on his lips.

“You’re my guest.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s vacation time! Well, sorta...it’ll get better lol. More to come soon and I’d love to hear your thoughts! ;)  
> Beta credit to Lexie ❤️


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *taps mic* Is anyone out there reading this thing lol? If so, hope you enjoy chapter 2! ;)

Rey’s entire body was tensed up like the string of a bow, pulled taught and ready to spring into action in an instant. She stood by the ship, watching every move Kylo made as he removed his things and hers, tossing them onto the sandy ground beneath their feet.

He’d landed the ship on a small clearing of land on the island which was enclosed in a sort of force field. There were a number of other little islands around them, not terribly close but visible enough from the beach and all similarly enclosed. On the closer ones Rey could make out individuals walking on the beach or swimming in the water. 

It seemed Kylo was right that there wouldn’t be any available spaces unless she’d made contact ahead of time. 

The island they’d landed on was just large enough for a beach, a small hut, and a patch of jungle behind it. Rey was pretty sure she could explore every inch of the entire thing in about an hour. 

“Are you coming?”

Rey was pulled from her surveying the surroundings by Kylo’s voice. He passed her, undoing his cloak and tossing it into his ship before shutting the door and picking up the bags. Seeing him sling her pack over his shoulder, a sudden panic shot through her.

“Hey, give me that!” She grabbed it from him, holding it posessively against her chest.

Kylo let out a little huff. “ _ Relax _ , I’m not stealing your things from you. I was just taking them inside.”

She frowned. “My things aren’t going inside. I can't stay here.”

His response was shockingly calm and nonchalant. 

“Why not?”

Rey stumbled over her words for a moment, mostly because she was struggling to choose from the many reasons she could think of.

“You’re here,” she finally blurted out.

That summed it up well enough. 

He shrugged. “And? I don’t see many other options. Your ship won’t fly and I’ve got this island for the next three days. Besides, I thought you wanted to be here.”

_ Not with you _ , she nearly screamed aloud. 

Rey shook her head. “This isn’t going to work, you know that. I didn’t plan to come here so we could try to kill each other again.”

“Good,” he replied instantly. “Because I never planned on trying to kill you. I told you you’re my guest.”

Rey laughed. 

Kylo stepped forward. “I’m not joking,” he said, his tone firmer. “You planned to be here just like I planned to be here, so let’s just make the best of this. We can worry about what to do next when we leave this planet.”

She considered that offer silently for a moment, fingers toying nervously with the fabric on her bag. This was insanity. She couldn’t possibly do this. She’d come here to clear her mind, and this seemed likely to accomplish the very opposite. And in addition to those concerns, what were the chances she could really trust him after all that had just happened?

Before she could respond, Kylo set his bag down again and walked past her, back to his ship. He took his lightsaber off his belt which made Rey jump, but then he opened the Silencer’s hatch and set the weapon inside a small cubby in the cockpit. Closing the ship up again and stepping back, he held his hands up with palms pointing towards her.

“I won’t take it out again until we’re off this planet. I give you my word. I’m not here to fight, Rey. You being here doesn’t change that.”

Rey stared intently at him, feeling the undeniable sincerity in his words. Then her gaze flicked from the hut back to him. There was more than one problem with this arrangement.

“There’s only one hut.”

He shrugged. “There’s also a beach, water, and the jungle. We don’t have to be in each other’s space if we don’t want to be.”

“Good, because I don't want to be.”

“That’s fine.”

“Great.”

He tilted his head. “So it’s a deal then?”

Rey turned away for a moment, taking in their surroundings as she wondered whether she was making a colossal mistake. When she locked eyes with him again, she gave him a little nod.

“Deal.”

* * *

Rey walked around the one room hut, opening cabinets in the little kitchen and drawers beside the bed, picking up little decorative trinkets. She’d never been in a place like this, somewhere that was made just for relaxation and enjoyment. She peeked into the fresher and picked up some of the little bottles left on the counter, opening them and taking a sniff. Her eyes shut and she let out an involuntary sigh as the intoxicating scent hit her nose. She’d never smelled anything quite like it, and certainly never washed herself with something so fine. 

“Bed or floor?”

Rey shut the fresher door and turned at the sound of Kylo’s voice, glancing at the bed and then back at him.

“Floor,” she replied without hesitation. “Or the settee. I’ve slept on much worse.”

He took a quick look around before replying, likely realizing that he’d never be fitting on anything besides the bed anyway. “Suit yourself.”

Rey walked over to the window which overlooked the beach and shoreline, hearing Kylo putting things in drawers behind her. This didn’t seem real. If someone had told her just yesterday that she’d be staying here with Kylo Ren on Glee Anselm of her own free will, she’d never have believed it. She still didn’t really know what he was doing here in the first place. Was this all part of some elaborate plan of his? Was there a resource on this planet that he needed? She was fairly certain he couldn’t simply be there for the fun of it. 

Kylo set his bag aside and out of the corner of her eye she saw him disappear into the fresher.

She couldn’t shake the rather jarring sense of normalcy in all of this.

Not knowing what else to do after seeing all the little hut had to offer, she grabbed her pack and headed for the door. Seeing a plate of fruit left on the counter, Rey grabbed a piece as she went by, then left the confined of the hut to step into the sunshine. She supposed the sun and sand felt familiar and unimpressive, but other than that the whole place was so new and interesting. The trees, plants, water, and life all just made her want to look a little closer.

If nothing else, she’d be able to learn something while she was here.

* * *

Almost two hours later Rey walked back through the trees and toward the beach, having adequately satisfied her curiosity about the patch of land she was currently stranded on. As she came to the edge of the little jungle, her jaw literally dropped at the sight of the colors in the sky.

All around her, as if frosting the crystal blue water, was a vibrant blend of orange, pink, and yellow as the sun made its way down to the horizon. She stopped for a moment, frozen in place and unable to do anything but appreciate the incomparable view.

Now that she’d returned to the completely sandy part of the island, she removed her shoes, tossing them by the stairs of the little hut. Her shoes had become full of sand anyway, but she also found that she very much enjoyed the feel of this particular sand on her bare feet. This wasn’t like the sand on Jakku; there was something more silky smooth about it. It wasn’t hard to see why this place attracted visitors.

Hearing some noises inside the hut and confirming that Kylo was busy with something inside, Rey’s gaze shot to the Silencer, a thought suddenly occurring to her. This could be her only chance…

She ducked down, hurrying past the hut and quickly reaching the ship. Opening the hatch as quietly as possible and climbing inside, she instantly flipped the comm switch. All she had to do was send out one little message, one simple distress signal that could alert the Resistance. She didn’t have to say much, just as long as they knew where she was.

Rey switched the channels, hearing nothing but static no matter what she tried. 

“Come on, come on,” she muttered to herself, giving the cockpit a little smack for good measure. 

She glanced up above the ship and all around her, her attention drawn back to the force field around the island and her shoulder fell slack in disappointment. Of course she couldn’t get a message out. Clearly this was disrupting the signal, so she imagined the likelihood of her getting anything to work would be-

“Are you done?”

Rey jumped, whirling to see Kylo standing there beside the Silencer, arms crossed, wearing what seemed to be just his undershirt, and holding a...was that a cooking spoon?

“I uh- I was just-“

“Yeah, I know what you were doing,” he replied flatly. “But you’ve probably already figured out that it’s pointless on this island. This place isn’t meant for outside communication.”

She said nothing, grabbing her pack and hopping out of the ship, skirting past Kylo as he closed up the hatch again. 

“Can’t blame you for trying, but I’d appreciate it if you’d stay off my ship,” he added a bit more firmly, following behind her.

“Thought I was your  _ guest _ ,” Rey called over her shoulder as she walked up the steps to the hut. “Not terribly hospitable.”

“Is  _ dinner _ hospitable enough for you?” he snapped back.

As he spoke the words and Rey walked over the threshold, she was hit with an overwhelming and mouth watering aroma. It was enough to make her stop dead in her tracks.

“Did you...cook?”

Kylo raised a brow. “Someone had to. How else were you imagining we’d eat while we’re here?”

Once they were both in the hut, Rey was greeted with the sight of two plates which held some sort of fish alongside something green. 

“I could tell you what it is, but it won’t mean much to you.” He picked up a plate and handed it to her. “It tastes good, that’s probably all you need to know.”

Rey took the plate, still a little dumbfounded at everything she was seeing. The food, him standing there holding a cooking utensil as comfortably as a lightsaber, the wonderful smell, the unusual way he looked. Just...all of it.

“Thanks,” she muttered softly.

“I’m gonna eat outside,” he announced right after, taking his plate of food and leaving the hut.

Rey watched him go, her feet planted on the floor, holding the plate as if she didn’t quite know what to do with it yet. She watched him take a seat in the sand, cross-legged and looking out at the water as he began to eat. It took her a few moments to make herself move, sit down, and actually start eating her own food as well.

“Maker,” Rey murmured, her eyes going wide as she chewed a bit of the fish. She’d never actually eaten fish before and it seemed to almost melt in her mouth. The flavor and texture was unlike anything she’d experienced. 

Her gaze shifted outside again, to the broad shouldered silhouette in front of the sunset. There was clearly still so much to learn about this man. She allowed her thoughts to drift back to a time not long ago when she hoped she’d be learning all about him, spending time with him, getting to know him, perhaps becoming closer. That possibility seemed gone now, after all that had happened, and yet…

Here they both were, together, hidden away from the rest of the galaxy.

Rey ate her perfectly cooked fish, enjoying the last bursts of color in the sky and the way it made the water glitter, and she marveled at how miraculous it all seemed. 

Almost as if anything was possible. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to any who are on board, and if so I’d love to hear from you. ;)  
> Beta read by Lexie ❤️


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All I gotta say is, don’t play a drinking game with all varieties of the word “breathe” with this chapter. Wouldn’t be wise. XD

Rey stirred, hearing the sound of some sort of exotic bird nearby. She turned over, blinking at the sunlight streaming in through the windows and covering her where she lay on the settee. 

Stretching, she lifted her head a bit and glanced across the one roomed hut toward the bed, seeing that it was empty. In fact, she realized Kylo was nowhere to be seen at all. The fresher door was open, so he wasn't in there. Perhaps he’d left without her, she mused, tossing her blanket off and standing. 

Rey quickly realized that wasn’t the case, walking nearer to the bed and seeing his things nearby. A long sleeved black shirt hung neatly over the foot of the bed and she unconsciously reached out, gently brushing her fingertips against the surprisingly soft material.

Walking toward the little kitchen area, she picked up a cluster of bite sized, bumpy looking orange fruit on a vine. Plucking one off, she popped the little ball into her mouth, enjoying the way it burst, releasing tangy and sweet juices into her mouth. She took the bunch of fruit with her, strolling to the door of the hut and stepping out onto the deck, smiling at the sight of some brightly colored birds flitting through the branches of the nearby trees. As they flew away and toward the water, her eyes were also drawn in that direction. 

_ There _ he was.

Kylo stood in the ocean a little ways out from the shore, immersed up to about his waist, with his bare back to her. She kept watching as he leaned down, dipping his head under the water for a moment before standing again and smoothing his hair back. Every curve of his torso and detail of his muscles glistening under the droplets of water that covered him like tiny little stars.

Rey swallowed thickly, glancing around her nervously, as if afraid to be caught watching him. Not that she was  _ trying _ to watch him exactly…

He leaned down again, staying low this time instead of standing back up. Another moment later and he dipped his head under, his whole body disappearing beneath the surface. He seemed more comfortable in the water than she ever would have guessed. 

Rey frowned, eyes glued to the water as she realized that he wasn’t resurfacing. She descended the few steps, her feet contacting the sand and walking forward a few paces.

Still no sign of him. Her blood instantly ran cold.

Rey didn’t hesitate. She dropped the fruit in her hand and wasted no time rushing to the water's edge and wading in, a horrible dread growing in the pit of her stomach. She could see Leia’s face in her mind’s eye, broken hearted at what could have been and the chance her son would never have if his life was cut short. And more than that,  _ she _ was panicking. 

“Ben?! Ben!” Rey yelled, wading in deeper and thrashing around with her arms as deep as she could reach. 

She wasn’t exactly an expert swimmer, but she shoved her head under the surface, opening her eyes and trying to look around only to come back up coughing and sputtering at the water she’d failed to fully keep out of her nose. 

“Ben!” she cried out again, her voice breaking as her chest constricted and the air was squeezed from her lungs.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Rey whirled around, seeing him standing right behind her. Fear and panic was instantly replaced with fury.

“ _ Me _ ?! What’s wrong with  _ you _ ?!” she practically screamed between coughing. “I thought you drowned!”

“Drowned? I’m kriffing  _ swimming _ !” Kylo yelled back, holding up a small contraption and biting it between his teeth in demonstration before removing it again. 

Rey's chest was heaving, her gaze darting in confusion from his face to the contraption in his hand as she attempted to process this while her adrenaline started to wear off.

“Wh-what’s that?” 

“It’s an _aquata_ _breather_ ,” he explained, still looking at her like she was mad. He let out a short laugh. “Right. I guess you wouldn’t have seen one of these on Jakku.”

She exhaled heavily, wiping the remaining water from her face. She couldn’t exactly deny the intense relief she was experiencing, washing over her like the little waves rhythmically colliding with her body and making her sway back and forth. Embarrassment was creeping in as well though, and she was beginning to realize how ridiculous and desperate she must have looked, out there in the water screaming his name. Perhaps it was partly the embarrassment that prompted her to pull the focus away from the way she’d just behaved. 

Rey gestured to the breather. “So, you just hold it in your mouth and you can breath underwater? That’s it?”

Kylo nodded. “Why? You wanna try?”

She held his gaze, almost stubbornly, then tipped her chin a little higher. “I might.”

The corner of his lips ticked upward just a hair. “Well there’s another one in the hut. But you should probably change first.”

“Change?”

“Yeah. Into bathing togs.”

Rey frowned. “Bathing togs?”

“Wait, you don’t even know what bathing togs are?” Kylo tipped his head, narrowing his eyes. “So you’re telling me that you came to an  _ island _ even though you barely know anything about swimming?”

Rey huffed, turning and marching back to shore as fast as the water would allow her. “Just forget it! Oh and you’re welcome for trying to rescue you, by the way!”

“Rey-“

“Don’t follow me! I need to dry off,” she called angrily over her shoulder, trudging through the sand and dripping all the way back to the hut. 

She could tell he stayed put, not hearing the sound of any movement in the water behind her. But she also could feel that certain something in the space between them...that  _ pull _ . It was as if she’d walked away from something she was still tethered to and the line was being stretched uncomfortably to capacity. He’d definitely wanted to follow. 

Rey wished she could say it was getting easier to walk away from him. 

* * *

Rey was pretty used to sand, but she soon found that  _ wet sand _ was another experience entirely. She had to rinse her clothes as well as herself in the fresher and then hang the items to dry, putting on the only other change of clothing she’d brought. She could swear it was warmer than the day before, and she quickly decided to discard her usual arm bindings and wrapped vest. Even without those things though, she felt a little constricted and sticky. Jakku had been much drier than the heat on this planet.

She didn’t know how long she sat in the fresher, but she certainly took her time, in no rush to show herself again and endure more mocking for her lack of experience with the ocean and swimming. 

This whole trip had been a mistake, for so many reasons. She had no business being here, and being here with Kylo Ren only made it worse. That had turned a silly decision into a truly dangerous one.

She heard a knock at the fresher door and jumped. “What?”

“I’m leaving some things by the door for you. I used the com link for the island caretakers and had them make a drop.”

She frowned. “What things?”

“Y’know you don’t have to be this tense.”

That certainly didn’t help her relax. 

“Don’t start trying to get in my head!” she hissed.

“I don’t have to. I can feel your energy through the door and you’re ready to snap!”

Rey rolled her eyes. 

“And I promise I won’t,” Kylo added more quietly. “I mean, I won’t get in your head.”

She said nothing, hugging her knees to her chest where she sat on the fresher floor, half wishing she could unhear the way his tone had shifted and became so soft and gentle.

The floor creaked and she could tell he’d walked away, but she still waited a good while longer before finally standing and opening the door. When she looked down, she saw a little pile of folded clothing. 

Rey glanced around the hut, seeing that he’d left and gone back outside, so she sat on the bed and examined the items left for her. There were a few pairs of what looked like underwear, but the material was quite different and thicker, so she assumed these were the bathing togs he’d referenced. There were also a few simple, tunic like garments, their material being either sheer or like fine netting, and it seemed clear these were made to go over the bathing togs.

She chewed her lip, deliberating for a moment before finally retreating back to the fresher with one of the bathing togs and one of the coverups. 

When Rey emerged again, she had to admit she felt  _ so _ much better. The warm breeze that blew through the windows was refreshing against her skin now, seeing as she wasn’t so completely wrapped up. 

Turning the corner, she saw that Kylo was standing in the kitchen, a cup in his hands. His gaze lifted and locked onto her, his lips parting as if about to speak, but then closing tightly again, his Adam’s apple bobbing visible. He cleared his throat.

“I guess they fit.”

“Yeah, um, thanks for these,” she said softly. 

“Now maybe you’ll be able to swim more comfortably.” He slid a plate of fruit and nuts and bread across the counter towards her. “Did you eat yet? I made caf too.”

Rey wasn’t even close to getting over the feeling that she’d stumbled into an alternate universe. Kylo Ren had just offered her breakfast and caf, after getting her bathing togs, which she was now wearing... _ and _ he was still shirtless. 

Maker, why did he have to look like that? So effortlessly magnificent with his still damp hair and sun warmed skin as he stirred the contents of his cup... 

She grabbed a piece of bread, muttering another thanks and opting to chew on something rather than addressing the bizarre situation they were in. He poured her a cup of caf as well and she sipped the hot liquid, which she instantly realized was better than any poor excuse for caf that she’d ever had on Jakku. Everything here seemed better actually. She honestly wasn’t sure whether it was this place or the fact that  _ he _ was making it all. 

Suddenly, she was feeling more than ready to leave the confines of the hut and get out in the open. She shoved the rest of the bread in her mouth, finishing quickly so she could get moving.

“Where’s the other breather?” 

* * *

“I didn’t mean you had to come help me,” Rey commented, throwing off the coverup before stepping into the water, Kylo not far behind. 

“Despite your assumptions and heroics earlier, between the two of us I’d say you’re the bigger drowning risk.”

Rey couldn’t help a little huff. “Wouldn’t that be a convenience for you? Might save you some time and energy.”

She was unexpectedly stopped short before she got very far into the water, Kylo’s hand gripping her arm, gentle but firm, and turning her to face him. His expression had shifted; not angry, just intensely serious. 

“I’ve  _ never _ wanted you dead,” he said, speaking the words with purposeful clarity. “Not once, Rey. You can think what you want about me, but that’s one thing I want you to be very clear on.”

Rey glanced down at his hand, wrapped around her forearm and engulfing it, then she met his gaze again. 

“Fine,” she conceded softly. “I’m clear.”

He gave her a single nod, releasing her arm. “Good.” 

They walked the rest of the way into the water in silence before Kylo spoke again. 

“So you’ll need to hold the breather tight between your teeth, and make sure to only breathe through your-“

“Only through my mouth, yeah that’s obvious.” She took the device between her teeth and closed her lips around it. 

“And take slow steady breaths, don’t panic and start hyperventilating,” he added as she leaned down.

Rey breathed deeply, then finally plunged her head under the surface. She blinked her eyes open, slowly adjusting to the feeling and taking her first breath in. There was something strange about it, and she could understand why Kylo had just instructed her to control her breathing. After a few moments though, it all started to feel more comfortable, and she was able to focus more on what she could see and hear, rather than how to breathe.

Shapes and colors came into focus and she could even hear a little fish chewing on some plant life nearby. She swam a few feet away and a little deeper, or as deep as her own buoyancy would allow her to go. When she turned a moment later, she saw that Kylo was right there next to her. 

He motioned to a purple plant on the seabed with lots of fuzzy looking branches coming off of it, and he reached out in request for her hand. Rey hesitated for a breath, then tentatively let him guide her fingers to the plant until she made contact. When she did, she had to force herself to keep the breather in place instead of smiling and laughing aloud. She’d never felt anything like it. The tiny little fronds stuck to her fingers, gently, almost as if their only aim was to caress the skin. 

Rey looked back up at Kylo, and though her view of him was slightly blurred, she could see that his eyes were on her. That was when it dawned on her that their hands were still connected. 

Rey felt suddenly breathless, deciding to surface, which prompted him to follow suit. 

“That’s amazing,” Rey admitted, wiping the water from her eyes. “I could explore down there all day.”

“There’s nothing stopping you,” Kylo said, smoothing his hair back. “I might just float around for a while.”

“Float?”

“Yeah. Like this.”

He leaned back against the water and lifted his legs, and just like that he was hovering at the surface of the water. 

“A-are you using the Force?” Rey asked, admittedly a little awestruck. 

“No.” Kylo laughed, standing up again. “It’s easy, just do what I did.”

Rey leaned back in the water a couple times but just kept sinking. 

“No, you have to lift your legs up. If they’re hanging down they’ll just pull your whole body down,” he corrected, stepping closer. “Try again.”

She eyed him a bit suspiciously. Or at least, she thought perhaps she  _ should _ feel suspicious. In truth, she was only feeling more at ease. 

Rey leaned backward into the water again, and as she did she felt the light touch of Kylo’s hand beneath her calves, lifting just a bit. She lifted her head in response but quickly realized that caused her body to start to sink as well. 

When his other hand connected with the small of her back keeping it straight and elevated, Rey nearly forgot how to breathe. 

“Just take deep breaths,” he instructed calmly, as if he could feel the way her lungs had frozen. “The more air, the easier you stay up.”

She perhaps made the mistake of looking up, meeting his eyes as they gazed down at her, all while feeling the gentle lift of his hands against her flesh. They were holding her, supporting her, but not controlling her. Her ears were submerged, so her head was filled with the gentle rush of the ocean life below her, but her eyes could see nothing but him. Everything around him seemed to blur and fade away, as if it just didn’t matter. She’d never felt so safe and secure as she did in that moment, like nothing could touch her...because he would never allow it. 

His hands slipped away and he lifted them to show her, smirking as if he’d just done a little trick. “See? You’re floating.”

She smiled at the accomplishment and tried to focus on how weightless and relaxed she felt, instead of her secret disappointment at the loss of his touch. She also tried not to think about how that touch of his hand on the bare skin of her body was moving in a way that simply touching her fingers to his had not come close to.

Given the circumstances, it was certainly for the best that he’d just promised not to try and invade her thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying to work in some actual physical contact between these two idiots lol. Hope you guys are still enjoying this! At least 2 more chapter to go.  
> Beta read by Lexie ❤️


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have come to the end of this short fic, friends! For a couple reasons I made a last minute decision to wrap it all up in this chapter rather than dragging it out for another chapter. See you down at the bottom...

“There’s shade if you want it.”

Rey glanced up, squinting and shielding her eyes from the early afternoon sun to look at Kylo where he stood over her.

“There’s an umbrella leaning against the hut,” he explained, pointing to it. “I can set it up right here if you’re planning to be reading for a while.”

Rey stared up at him for a moment, still a bit taken aback by all of this. The cooking, teaching her how to swim yesterday, doing things for her for no other possible reason but to be kind, all of it. She kept wondering whether to say thank you or question why he was doing this.

“Sure,” she finally agreed. “I guess some shade would be nice.”

Kylo immediately went and grabbed the umbrella and carried it over. Rey peered over the Jedi text she’d been reading as inconspicuous as possible, watching as he used all his might to drive the poll deep enough into the sand so it wouldn’t budge. Then he opened the umbrella up, blanketing her in the cool relief of shade. 

“Oh that’s so much better,” Rey had to admit aloud. 

A part of her wished this wasn’t their last full day on Glee Anselm. She didn’t want to leave this strange fantasy world where she was at peace with him, where there simply was no conflict and nothing to clash over. And she was genuinely afraid of what would happen when they were thrown back into the real world. Did he think this was somehow changing her mind? Did he think things would be different after they left this place? She was afraid to find out when tomorrow came.

Rey was suddenly jolted from her thoughts as she realized that he had picked up one of the Jedi texts from her the little pile she had beside her lounge chair.

“Hey, don’t touch that!”

Kylo seemed unmoved by the exclamation, merely letting out a short laugh. “What do you think I’m gonna do to it? Rip it up? I’m just looking at it.”

She eyed him suspiciously but didn’t bother to object again as he thumbed through the pages. There was something unnerving about seeing a book that was so precious to the Jedi order in his hands. 

“I’m sure you think reading these will help in your training,” he commented, eyes still scanning the pages. “Help you master the use of the Force and turn you into a  _ great _ Jedi.”

Rey rolled her eyes at the obvious sarcasm. “And you obviously think the Jedi texts are useless.”

He closed the book, setting it back on her pile before reclining in the chair opposite her, crossing his arms behind his head. “I didn’t say they’re useless. I just don’t think  _ you _ need them.”

She cleared her throat, trying to keep her eyes on the page. “I don’t really want to hear about what you think I need and don’t need.”

What she  _ really _ needed, she thought to herself, was for Kylo Ren and his bare chest to go elsewhere so she could focus on her reading. 

“You might not want to hear it, but you’re too powerful for that kind of training.” He paused, locking eyes with her as she looked up over her book, his voice softening a bit. “I can feel it.”

Rey closed her book with a smack. “Maybe I don’t care how powerful I am. I still want to train.”

“You should care,” he countered casually. “Think about the connection we share. How many Force users do you think are able to do that?”

“I didn’t do that, Snoke did.”

He shook his head. “I don’t think either of us believe that was all him, it doesn’t make sense. He wouldn’t be able to control something like that each time. Besides, he was dead and we still connected through the Force.”

“It still wasn’t me,” Rey asserted, wanting to be done with this topic.

Kylo had a far off look in his eyes. “All I know is there’s something more to it. I’m sure of it. And I’m going to figure it out one of these days.”

She shrugged, attempting disinterest. “It doesn’t matter to me.”

“Now who’s the liar?”

Rey glared at him, something snapping inside her. “What are you doing here anyway? You never gave me a straight answer.”

“What kind of answer do you need?”

“I just don’t understand. Why this place? Why here, out of the whole galaxy?”

Kylo was quiet for a breath. “This place was like a seed, planted and growing on its own in my mind, having nothing to do with me. I started thinking about it years ago, without being sure why. So I started researching it a little and liked what I saw. But I’d never been here before now.” He paused for effect. “The name of the planet was in my mind before anyone told me or I saw it in writing, Rey.”

She began to understand his meaning, even if she didn’t particularly want to. A shiver ran up her arms and she rubbed her palms up and down them, despite the heat of the sun. The thought of their minds being so closely connected...it shook her.

“I’d never been here either,” Rey admitted softly. “I just saw a picture when I was a child, back on Jakku. I had that picture in my mind and the name of the planet, and that was all. But I always wanted to come here.”

A short laugh escaped his lips. “Shouldn’t that be enough to convince you there’s something special about the power we hold between us?”

Rey’s mouth set in a hard line, wanted to shove the reality of their connection away, far away. She’d rather talk about anything else. 

“Ok so I guess you sort of answered why this place, but you didn’t tell me what your reason for getting away was. Don’t you have important business you could be taking care of?”

He visibly stiffened. “I just needed some time away, that’s all.”

“Aren’t you the Supreme Leader now?” Rey snorted. “Wielding all that power sounds like your favorite thing, so I can’t imagine you wanting time away from that.”

“That wasn’t the problem.”

“Ok, so what was?”

He sat straight up, his voice raising. “You really can’t imagine why I’d need time away? You have no idea why I might want to clear my head?”

Rey gulped, her stomach doing a flip as she felt the intensity of emotion behind his words. She wished she hadn’t used this as an attempt to change the subject.

“You  _ know _ why I needed time alone, Rey,” he hissed, standing from the lounger. “And you know  _ exactly _ what I needed to clear out of my head.”

She watched silently as he stalked away, marching directly into the water and ducking under the surface as soon as he’d gotten in deep enough, as if he so desperately wanted to escape her presence. 

The reality of his admission stung. Yes, of course she knew why he’d need time alone. At least, she’d likely been unconsciously aware of it. Now it was flashing in front of her eyes and she couldn’t look away. She wished she could, because she’d hated the thought of it. No matter what he’d done, no matter his faults or mistakes, it didn’t mean she wanted this.

Rey hadn’t ever wanted to hurt him. 

She briefly tried to pick up one of the Jedi texts again and focus on the words written on the weathered pages, but it was no use. The only words she could focus on were his, now ringing in her ears.

Setting her book down, Rey got up from her seat as well, taking brave steps into the ocean despite half wanting to run away into the hut and hide. She stopped a few paces from where he was and took a breath.

“Ben?”

He turned, a vulnerability in his eyes that she hadn’t seen since the last time she’d used that name. 

Rey waded over to him the rest of the way, thinking about how this would all be over by this time tomorrow. He’d be Kylo Ren, Supreme Leader in opposition to the Resistance, and she’d be Rey, a Jedi in training who wouldn’t be swayed by the dark side. Perhaps it was time to stop wasting time thinking about how strange these few days were...and simply enjoy it. 

“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “And you’re right. I do know why you’d need to clear your head. I know because that’s why...that’s why I needed to get away as well.”

He stared at her for a long time, silent and still as the water lapped gently at his side. Then finally, he stepped forward, the softness in his expression telling her that he was now very much of the same mind as she was, even before his next words.

“Swim with me?”

Rey nodded, the simple and gentle request making her smile. She pulled the breather out from the pocket of her filmy coverup before taking it off and tossing it back towards the shore.

She sunk down into the caress of the warm water, shoulder to shoulder with him, now more than ever wishing that tomorrow would never come.

* * *

“I’ve never heard of it.” Rey set her plate aside, reclined on the floor against the settee with the last bits of orange sunlight illuminating the little hut. “But I haven’t read all the Jedi texts yet. I only got through one book while I was here.”

“It’s in this one,” Ben explained, briefly lifting the book so she could see from where he was reclined opposite her. “We learned a bit about Force healing in the academy, but I’ve never done it myself. I understand it in theory, I’ve just never had any reason to try it.”

Rey gazed at him as his eyes went back to the page, thinking back over the lazily spent day; swimming, laughing, eating, reading. She wished Leia could see her son at this very moment.

Except that another part of her very much wanted to keep all of this to herself, as if sharing these little moments might make them less intimate. Because that’s truly how it had begun to feel with him...intimate. Particularly now, sitting on the floor, their bare legs parallel to each other, no constant conversation truly necessary because they were both content either way. Things had suddenly become so easy.

Rey continued thumbing through her book as well, hardly aware that her eyelids soon began to droop and her head tilted back to lean against the settee. The sun, the water play, and the delicious food had caught up to her, and before she realized it she’d gradually drifted off…

* * *

It was like a dream at first, or perhaps a distant memory. Rey’s eyes didn’t even fully open at first, only registering the feeling of floating. Except...no, she wasn’t floating. This was something else.

Her eyelids fluttered, and she saw Kylo’s darkened profile, so close as that feeling of floating continued. That’s when she blinked again, finally realizing what she was actually feeling.

She was being carried.

Just as her body gently contacted the bed, her eyes more fully opened, and she watched in the moonlight as he picked up the light blankets and carefully laid them over her. She didn’t move a muscle at first, not wanting to disturb the cautious movements he was making, clearly trying not to wake her. What she could make out of his expression was so beautiful, so soft, that she felt a lump forming in her throat. As he finished the final adjustment of the blanket and straightened up, it felt just like breathing to Rey...to reach out, grasping his hand and stopping him.

She lifted slightly from the pillow, peering up at him as she whispered, “Stay...please.”

Rey could have argued that it would have been silly for him to try and sleep elsewhere in the little hut, that she was doing him a favor as he’d done for her. But the truth was that she just wanted him to stay, wanted him to feel him close to her.

He didn’t argue, pulling away from her grasp only to immediately climb in alongside her. She turned over as he did, instinctively aligning herself with him and finding herself eye to eye with him as he lay down. They were cloaked in silence and darkness, feeling so blissfully alone aside from the tiny creatures that called this island home.

She could feel that familiar electricity humming between them and it chased away the remnants of sleep from her eyes. She felt awake, alive, every nerve in her body instantly hypersensitive. So when she felt his fingertips brush over her forearm under the covers, even that small touch coaxed an audible sigh of pleasure from her lips.

“Rey,” he breathed. “This is…”

Her brow furrowed slightly. “What?”

He still hesitated.

She reached out under the blanket, her hand resting against his chest, palm pressed to the warmth of his skin that pulsed gently with his heartbeat. 

“Tell me, Ben,” she coaxed gently.

His expression was pained, she could see it even in the darkness. 

“This is what I wanted,” he finally whispered. “ _ This _ is what we could have been.”

His hand closed over hers, pressing it more firmly against his heart. 

“We still could be,” Rey heard herself replying, her head spinning pleasantly. “It isn’t too late.”

He paused for a breath. “You’re right. It’s not too late.”

With his other hand, he anchored around her waist, tugging them both in closer, so close that his nose brushed hers. Rey’s fingertips dug in against his chest, feeling breathless and desperate and fighting the urge to instantly wrap both arms around him. As he tilted his head forward, Rey shut her eyes, the warmth of his lips just lightly caressing hers. She thought she might burst into flames then, releasing a small gasp at the rush this gentle touch sent coursing through her body.

Perhaps it was that rush, that flood of euphoric chemicals in her blood that gave Rey a sudden burst of hope, and so she opened her mouth again, daring to speak what was in her heart.

“Come home, Ben,” she whispered. “Tomorrow, when we leave here...come home with me.”

The air instantly shifted. His nose brushed against hers again, but this time it was because he’d pulled back a bit, staring at her with hurt in his eyes.

“That’s not what I want, Rey. I don’t want to  _ go back _ ,” he murmured through grit teeth. “What I want with you is to move forward, start something new, something  _ better _ . Why can’t you see that?”

Rey’s chin trembled, hurt and disappointed at him for crushing her hopes, furious at herself for ruining the moment, and possibly more furious at herself that despite it all she still wanted him so desperately. 

“You’d have me abandon a cause I believe in, abandon people I’ve come to love like family, all to form  _ a dictatorship _ with you?” She shook her head, unsure of her voice for a moment. “Nothing’s changed, has it? Even after everything we’ve shared, being here together.”

His sad and silent gaze back at her was a clear enough answer.

Rey sniffed. “Then I suppose it all meant nothing, and when we leave here it’ll be like none of this ever happened.” 

He drew a shuddering breath and let it out slow. Rey could feel his pain in that moment, along with his desire and his disappointment. She hated this, all of it. And a part of her just couldn’t allow it to end this way.

“Hold me.”

His eyes snapped back to hers, blinking at her in brief confusion. 

“If nothing’s changed,” Rey added. “If tomorrow we’ll go back to things just as they were before we came here, then for tonight just- please just...hold me.”

He only hesitated for one more breath after she finished speaking, and then Rey felt herself wrapped up in those perfect arms, cradled against the solid warmth of his chest. He leaned back against his pillow, cheek against her forehead as he let out a heavy exhale.

“Goodnight, Rey.”

Rey secured her grasp around his torso, closing her eyes and focusing on his rapid but comfortingly steady heartbeat. 

“Goodnight, Ben.”

* * *

They were both silent almost all morning, packing up their little bags and changing back into their usual clothing. Rey could have sworn the sun wasn’t as bright on that morning. 

She kept her eyes trained on that little island and it’s perfect little beach for as long as it was in view through the TIE Silencer’s window, holding onto all of it for as long as she could. By the time they’d lifted far above the atmosphere, Rey decided that the blackness of space had never felt as cold as it did in that moment.

Her heart dropped in both relief and sadness as they finally neared the small moon and her little ship came into view. It looked just as she’d left it, as if no time had passed at all.

When Kylo’s Silencer touched down on the surface of the moon, there was a brief moment of stillness and hesitation before he opened the hatch and turned to look at her. A beat later and he opened the little compartment in his ship’s cockpit. The one where he’d placed his lightsaber. 

Rey tensed and wondered how quickly she’d be able to rush to her own ship for a weapon of her own. But just as the thought entered her mind, he took something else out, gently placing it in her lap.

“For your ship,” he explained simply. 

Rey frowned, picking up the part he’d handed over.

“I analyzed your ship’s damage back when I towed it here,” he admitted, looking off into the sky above them. “That part should get you flying again.”

She stared in shock at his profile, slow to find her voice again. “But I...You know I can’t just- that is, if I were to fly away now-“

“I’ll leave first,” he cut in. “By the time you replace that part and take off, I’ll be long gone.”

_ Long gone _ . Yes, probably that’s what was bothering her the most.

“This offer of mercy ends tomorrow,” he warned pointedly, his darker tone of voice showing through, likely by design. 

Rey gave him a single nod, still grateful despite his added warning. She climbed out of the Silencer, her little bag on one arm and the part he’d given her in her other hand, staring up at him and not knowing quite what to say.

“Thank you,” she finally said, feeling like it wasn’t enough, knowing it wasn’t what she really wanted and needed to say. And she wondered if there’d ever be a time when she’d get to say it all.

She nearly turned to go.

“Rey.”

Gazing back up at him, he gave her a noticeably softer look, triggering an extra ache in her chest.

“You’re wrong, about what you said last night.” He hit the button to close the hatch. “It meant something.”

A moment later and the ship sealed itself shut with an accompanying hiss, leaving Rey to hold his gaze though the ship’s glass, standing back and watching in silence as he took off. She gulped back the lump in her throat as his ship lifted higher and slowly disappeared, knowing that he was right. Maybe this hadn’t ultimately changed anything, but it had meant something to her as well. Perhaps someday she’d get to tell him so.

She smiled to herself, walking back to her ship and reminding herself...she was still good at waiting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bittersweet? Yes. But it’s canonverse, so that’s pretty much a given lol. Thanks to those of you who have commented and shown support, it’s much appreciated. I’ve got another Reylo prompt waiting in the wings, so I’ll be starting that shortly. Hope to see you then! ;  
> Beta credit to Lexie ❤️


End file.
